NASA launches airborne assault to combat pollution in Asia

NASA has initiated a series of extended flights across Asia with its colossal flying laboratory, the DC-8. In a mission aimed at enhancing models crucial for forecasting and combating air pollution, the US space agency aims to make strides in identifying pollution sources and behaviors, potentially leading to more precise public warning systems.

Air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths annually, making accurate identification and forecasting all the more significant.

Commencing this week in the Philippines, NASA's DC-8 is conducting flights lasting up to eight hours, hovering as close as 15 meters (50 feet) from the ground to collect air particles for detailed analysis.

Barry Lefer of NASA said in an official statement, "We can provide direct measurements of how much pollution is coming from different sources. And that's one of the primary inputs to the air quality forecasting models."

What does it mean?

While current air quality forecasting relies on ground stations and satellites, both methods have limitations in observing pollutant dispersion. NASA's airborne measurements aim to bridge this gap, refining satellite data interpretation and enhancing the accuracy of predictive models.

What is the airborne assault of air pollution like?

Equipped with an array of sensitive instruments, NASA's flying laboratory has executed figure-eight patterns over densely populated areas of the Philippines, including the capital region. Accompanied by a smaller NASA Gulfstream jet creating three-dimensional pollutant maps, the aircraft will extend research flights to South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand in the following weeks.

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The project, named ASIA-AQ, represents a collaboration between NASA and regional governments in an area grappling with some of the highest air pollution-related death rates globally.

Results from the study are expected to be made public within a year, providing potentially valuable insights into the complex dynamics of air pollution in the region.